Nightmares
by Kouga518
Summary: When her loved one dies, will Rikku be able to deal with the loss? PaineRikku one shot. Rated T for talk of death.


A/N: So I've decided to right another fiction. This one is a little angst, but not as bad as the last one. So enjoy! Also, I'm switching this one a bit. This time I'm writing from Rikku's POV.

Nightmares 

Storm clouds began to form in the sky above, threatening to release a torrent of rain on the gathering crowd outside the temple. Of course, no one in the crowd seemed to mind. They were too busy attending to more pressing matters, such as consoling each other. And putting their friend to rest.

_"I still don't believe she's gone."_

The blonde haired Al Bhed stood there, keeping to herself in a small little corner. There had been a service and a time for people to stand and tell of their memories of the deceased. Her head was swimming with all of these thoughts and images, hardly able to process one image before another took its place. But even through all the confusion in her mind, one thought dominated all the others.

_"She's gone."_

The more that Rikku thought about it, the more it confused her. Or was it confusion she felt? Was there something she should be feeling at that moment? The thought puzzled her until she found the answer in some dark corner of her mind.

Loneliness. That's what she felt.

She thought that she had divorced that feeling when she had met her love, swearing never again to experience that feeling. And yet, there it was, standing right there next to her. It was that feeling of being completely isolated from everyone, as if she wasn't even noticed. And despite being in a temple that was filled beyond capacity, she felt totally alone.

Even when her cousin pulled her from her thoughts and consoled her, she still felt alone. Rikku hated herself for feeling that away around Yuna though. Her cousin was still there for her, and was trying to make her feel better. It still didn't help much though.

_"She's still gone. You wouldn't feel alone if she were here right now."_

The new thought that pokes into her mind sends a shiver down her spine. There was truth to it, of course. But in that truth also came a horrible reality. She'd never love again. She'd never be happy again.

_"You'll forever be alone."_

The thought brings tears to the eyes of the young girl, who at one point knew only how to be happy and joyful. Now she stood there, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall like the rain outside. So caught up in her thoughts and sadness, she almost doesn't notice the congregation beginning to walk outside.

The coffin is carried by some of her friends. Buddy and Brother carry it from the front. The normally talkative and fun loving Brother seems to almost share his sister's sadness, and is a ghostly quiet. Buddy, who is normally full of helpful and comforting words for her when she needed them, is at a loss for them on this day. At the back stand Tidus and Cid. Tidus' normal cheerful disposition is changed into a stone faced mourner, as if he knows no smile or cheerful words will help in the current predicament. And her father, Cid, is also at a loss. He had initially been unsure of the relationship Rikku had shared with the now deceased, but had gotten used to it, and even embraced the two as daughter and daughter-in-law. All of them wore black.

As did Rikku, replacing her normally bright yellow outfit for a black dress and funeral veil. She walked behind the pole-bearers, slowly taking in the site of the cemetery they now walked toward. They finally reached the plot that she had picked for her love. Red and yellow flowers greeted them at the site, having been placed there ahead of time.

Another smaller service also began, but Rikku was too caught up in her own thoughts to hear what was happening. Her mind was moving so fast and furiously that she couldn't even process a single thought anymore. It wasn't until everyone left that she finally noticed her surroundings.

There she stood, alone in the cemetery, surrounded only by the reminders of people whom had passed away some years ago. Finally collapsing from the weight on her mind, she knelt next the gravestone and stared at it for some time. So glazed over with tears were her eyes that it took her several moments before she could finally read the head stone:

Here lies Paine

Beloved Friend, Lover, and Daughter

May she find rest in the afterlife.

And finally, as the rain fell in torrents around her, her own storm clouds broke. The tears in her eyes finally fell, and there she knelt for sometime with nothing else to do.

Nothing else except cry.

-Paine and Rikku's Home-

Rikku was lying in the bed tossing around when she finally sprung awake. Sweat was rolling off of her face as she struggled to get in a breath. Her eyes darted around the room in confusion. She was in her home, in her room, in her bed. There was no cemetery, no funeral, no…

_"Paine!"_

She couldn't remember if she had screamed her lovers name out, or if she just merely thought it really loudly in her mind. But all the same, a pair of comforting arms surrounded her and pulled her into an embrace. Her muscles relaxed, finally realizing what had happened.

A soothing voice whispered in her ear, "What's the matter?"

Rikku just responds, "I had a dream."

"A bad one?" Paine responds, as she begins to move the hair from her lover's eyes.

"Nightmare. One I hope never happens." Rikku pushed her head into the crook of Paine's neck.

Paine seemed to understand what she was alluding to, and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm not going to leave you."

Rikku smiled as she finally fell back to sleep. Just as sleep took her, she responded:

"I know you won't."

A/N #2: Had this idea right as I woke up this morning (no it didn't happen to me).


End file.
